Between the Lines || Link x Mipha

Chapter 21: Misunderstood

Serdin led Klay and Nadri down several corridors and rooms. It was all a maze to Klay. He tried to be attentive of what doors and halls led to where, but everything looked the same. Even the larger rooms they entered and exited looked the same. Eventually, Serdin led the two to the dead end of a hall. Klay looked all around, no door in sight.

"Where's the training room?" Klay asked.

"Right here!" Serdin insisted.

"This hallway is the training room?"

Nadri and Serdin laughed. "Ah, son," he placed a hand on Klay's shoulder. "We're the Yiga! Doors are hidden everywhere!" The leader kicked his leg back against the wall, and it swiveled a tall, rectangular section of the wall sideways.

The three entered into the big room. Plenty of Yiga were scattered all around, training, studying, eating, and even sleeping. Serdin set his arm around Klay. He pointed to the right side of the room, which was mostly filled with exercise equipment and a battle ring. He dragged his finger across the side to the middle of the room, which had people sleeping and eating. Behind those people were two doors, which Klay presumed to be locker rooms of some sort. Serdin then lifted his hand up high and pointed dramatically at the left side of the room. It had heaps of bookcases lined head to toe with books.

"Got it?" Serdin gave a thumbs up and Klay shook his head. "Ah, come on! It's simple! Physical training to your right, resting in the center, and intelligence to your left! Those doors back there are the locker rooms if that wasn't clear."

"No, I understood all that," Klay shook his head. "It's just...this is the weirdest training room I've ever seen. This is a battle tournament, isn't it? Wouldn't a training room just be...a training room?"

"Nadri didn't tell ya, huh?" Serdin glanced down at her daughter and she only shrugged. "The Yiga Clash isn't just about strength, son. It's also about the mind!" He placed his fingers to his temples. "You gotta' know your facts! You gotta' know how to make strategy! That will all be tested in the first round where you will be asked a series of questions—could pertain to Hyrule or your average high school answers. Then it'll go into round 1.5 where you have to create a plan to get from point A to point B."

"You've got to be kidding?" Klay tried to sound as distraught as possible, but in reality he was actually excited. This intellectual side of the Clash would give him even more of a reason to avoid Nadri. After all, he would have to be on top of his studies if he wanted to win this.

"You've got three days!" Serdin waved three fingers in Klay's face then jumped back. "Now are you at a disadvantage? Yes. You're starting your training the latest. HOWEVER!" He disappeared then appeared in a puff of smoke behind Klay. He placed his hands on the Zora's shoulders, "You're a skilled young man, Klay. And my daughter deserves the best of the best, y'know? I'm sure you will win." He then suddenly tightened his grip on Klay's shoulder and whispered in his ear, low and dark, "You better."

"Okay!" Klay took a big step forward, pulling away from Serdin. "Then I should probably start preparing."

"Atta' boy!" Serdin swiveled himself toward the door and began walking out. "Good luck!"

Klay looked side to side at all that the training room had to offer. Nadri stepped up to him and gave him a quick hug, which he reluctantly gave back. "I'll be back to give you dinner," she pulled away and smiled. "Don't overwork yourself, okay?"

"Okay," he returned a fake smile.

As Nadri exited and closed the door, Klay turned himself toward the right side of the room. He began walking over to the exercise equipment, but he eyed a clear cabinet full of weapons. He immediately drifted over to it and began rummaging through it. Once he found a wind cleaver, he pulled it out and studied it.